Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., was not among them. There was no reason why she should be.

Almost two months after President Barack Obama nominated Hagel to the position, the confirmation vote today clearly serves as a win for the president, but boy, it was rough getting here. After a confirmation hearing even the White House admitted had its challenges, Hagel faced an unprecedented, however, temporary, fillibuster on his nomination.

All along the way Ayotte was criticizing the president's nomination of Hagel. Backing her friends, Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham, she pressed Hagel on a number of foreign policy positions and tried to use Hagel's nomination as leverage for the administration to release more information on terrorist attacks in Libya last year.

In a statement after the vote, Ayotte said that Hagel earned the nation's respect for his service in Vietnam, but that she couldn't vote for him.

“Senator Hagel’s prior positions on Iran sanctions and the designation of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, as well as the troubling statements he has made regarding Israel, place him far outside the national security mainstream of both parties," Ayotte said. "Given his record, his testimony, and his past statements – including his endorsement of proposals that would gut our nuclear deterrent – I couldn’t vote to confirm his nomination.”

(U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., voted for Hagel and said after the vote she was " confident that he will be the type of strategic leader that our country needs promoting our national defense and protecting our troops.”)

Every political incentive pointed to Ayotte voting against Hagel. Not only did she join the vast majority of her Republican colleagues in voting no, but she is very close to McCain and Graham, for whom this vote was personal.

If Ayotte wants to continue to get on television she will need to take hard stands. It appears she likes to do Sunday morning national television. She has been a consistent guest on these programs, including an appearance CBS's "Face The Nation" this past Sunday.

Further if Ayotte wants to continue to work up the Republican ranks in the Senate she couldn't go against other leaders.

Lastly, Ayotte knew that Hagel had the votes to get confirmed anyway so she had wide latitude to make whatever vote she wanted.

The Obama administration will unveil a major climate change plan Monday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants, a senior administration official told CNN.